We wrestled at the University of Central Missouri this weekend. It was a full day with 4 duals right in a row. We wrestled Minnesota State University Moorhead, Truman State University, University of Central Missouri, and University of Wisconsin-Parkside. We won all the duals and had a barnburner with Wisconsin-Parkside in which the dual came down to the heavyweight match. Our heavyweight Derek (one of my roomies) weighs right around 200 lbs. so some would say that he is a little undersized for heavyweight; in my opinion though, it is kind of a good thing for both of us because he just eats the food that I am craving when I am dieting. I can vicariously enjoy food through Derek and he can gain weight, not a bad deal! Anyways Derek wrestled really well and got a win over a tough opponent to win the dual for us.

I had a really tough match against the MSUM wrestler in which I ended up losing, I was really frustrated after the match because I felt like I made some mistakes that I shouldn't have and that I could have wrestled a better match. After the match my training partner and one of my best friends Ryan came up to me and talked with me a little bit about the match, gave me a few words of encouragement, and told me that I would get the next guy. It is interesting how my thinking has changed on this since high school. I remember that often times in high school right after I would lose a match I wouldn't want to talk to anyone, I was usually angry or upset and just wanted to take some time to cool off and then talk later. Now I appreciate it when my friends come up to me and talk to me after my matches. Perhaps part of it is that I have learned to deal with losing better now that I have done more of it in college, but I think it is mostly just that I am realizing that my friends care about me and they want to be there for me to pick me up when I am down. This is really encouraging for me because I know that whatever wrestling, or life for that matter, throws at me I have people that care about me. I think I mentioned in my first blog that God has blessed me with some amazing friends and family, and it is amazing to me how he uses them in my life so often.

I guess this is where my oxymoronic title comes in. Last year we were wrestling in the National Dual semifinals against Mankato and I was winning my match in the third period. Probably to most people watching it looked as if I had it locked up but then all of the sudden I got pinned in a scramble. This was really tough because we ended up losing the dual by one or two points and my match was a nine-point swing. I can remember just being really heartbroken after the match because I felt as if I had lost the dual for my team. Right afterwards four of my best friends (Ryan, Joe, Paul, and Jeff) each came up to me individually and told me that they were proud of me for trying my hardest and that they were behind me no matter what. I have told this story a few times (I think it will be burned upon my brain forever) and every time I think of it I think about what amazing friends God has blessed me with. So in hindsight even though I lost that match, I feel like I won because of the way my friends treated me, obviously not in a pump your fist at the crowd sense, but in a wow this is what really matters in life sense.

I know that nobody likes to lose, I have never liked losing but it has taught me a lot throughout the course of my wrestling career. Vince Lombardi said, "If you can accept losing, you can't win." I respectfully disagree; actually I would say sometimes, losing can be winning. I guess it can best be described with this quote from Mister Frodo Baggins of the Shire "So all my plan is spoilt!...It is no good trying to escape you. But I'm glad, Sam. I cannot tell you how glad."